Ore-concentrator



mma et 2 Sheets$heet 1 F. J. WOODS. ORE OONOENTRATOR.

Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

(No Model. 2 8heets'-Sheet 2.

F. J WOODS. m

' 0m:- OONGEN'TRATOR. No. 570,243. v Patented Oct. 27', 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J. IVOODS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ORE-CONCENTRAQTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,243, dated October 27, 1896.

Application filed December 13,1895. Serial No. 571,996. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. WooDs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore-Concentrators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to mining machinery adapted for use in placer-mining, and especially to machinery for concentrating precious ores by what is known as the dry process, and has for its object the providing of a simple, economical, and efficient machine particularly adapted to the concentrating of gold-bearing dirt by the dry process.

The invention consists in the features, combinations, and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional elevation of my improvement; Fig. 2, a transverse section of a portion of the mechanism, taken 011 line 2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3, a transverse section of a portion of the mechanism, taken on line 3 of Fig. 1, lookingin the direction of the arrows; Fig. 4, a detail view of the crank-shaft for vibrating the riffle-board and other parts; Fig. 5, an enlarged transverse section of a portion of the mechanism, taken on line 5 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 6, a side sectional elevation of a portion of the mechanism, taken on line 6 of Fig. 5; and Figs. 7 and 8, detail views of a portion of the side bar and riffle-board, as hereinafter explained.

In the art to which this invention relates it is well known that the use of this dry process is considered very economical and useful, owing to the fact that it can be used in a great number of places where thewet and similar processes cannot be used, owing to the fact that the necessary supply of water cannot always be obtained for the successful operation of such machines. It is also well known that there are very few, if any, machines of this particular dry-process class in successful operation, owing to the fact that they are generally lacking in some essential elements which have prevented their introduction to any appreciable extent. In this particular class of machinery there are three general requisites which should be combined to form a practical organized machine: First, the material or gold-bearing dirt should be fed into the machines in a uniform pulverized or disintegrated condition and in uniform quantities; second, the machine should be constructedof as few parts as possible, so as to minimize the expense of repairs and allow it to be operated or repaired by the ordinary laborer, and, third, the mechanism should be so constructed that that portion which holds the concentrates may be readily removed or replaced, so that such concentrates may be economically obtained. My invention, therefore, is intended to obviate the objections found in existing machinery and to provide an organized machine which has the three general characteristics above noted, one that will concentrate gold-bearing sand or clay and eliminate the tailings in a simple, economical, and efficient manner.

In constructing my improved concentrator I make a frame A, preferably of timber and of the desired size, shape, and strength to support the other parts of the machine in the desired arrangement. Secured ata desired angle, so as to enable the gold-bearing dirt to pass readily down the same, is a riffle-screen 13, provided at regular intervals with rifflebars I). These riffle-bars, as shown particularly in Figs. 6, '7, and 8, are made in several pieces screwed together, the ends of the transverse portion ?9 of which enter a groove 19 in the side bars, so that when necessary such riffle-bars may be readily removed or replaced. (See Figs. 7 and 8.) This riflie screen and bars are supported in suitable framework B and inclosed to form a rifflebox, so that the fine dust is prevented from permeating the surrounding atmosphere and compelled to pass out through the exit b in the lower portion of the riffie-channel. To inclose this riffle screen and bars and provide a riffie box and channel, I provide two side boards 0, which are slotted or grooved and held in position by means of the dowels 0. These side bars are raised and lowered by means of the hand-screws O,which have their threaded portions supported in brackets 1G and their lower headed portions engaging with suitable recess-lugs c on the side boards, so that by the rotation of these hand-screws the side boards are raised and lowered as desired. The lower portion of the side boards and the upper portion of the side bars are beveled inwardly, as at 0 (see Fig. 5,) so that when the side boards are raised any dust or material on the side bars may be brushed inwardly on the riliie-screen. A dust-cover C is provided, formed of metal and entered in grooves in the side wall. To look this cover in position, I provide a spring-hasp 0 which is adapted to engage with a staple c on a cross-bar of the riiiie-box, so that the riftle-channel formed by the different parts may be securely locked and the contents protected. The upper portion of the riftle-channel is closed by a flap-valve D, which opens inwardly toward the riftle-channel to permit material to enter, but prevents the passage of any of the material upwardly and backwardly.

A suitable apron D is secured to the upper portion of the riffie-box to provide means by which the crushed or disintegrated material may be fed into the riffle-channel, and I provide a number of permanent magnets E in the pocket of such apron for the purpose of gathering up any iron ore or metal which may enter with the material.

To furnish a current of air upward through the riffle screen and blow out the lighter dirt, clay, and dust, I provide a bellows G of the desired size and shape and having the desired number of folds and secure the same to the under side of the riftle-screen. A number of springs g are provided between the slats of the different folds of the bellows to balance the weight of the parts and provide for a uniform closing and opening of the bellows.

In order to vibrate the bellows, I provide a crank-shaft fl and connect its cranks h with the lower portion of the bellows by means of the connecting-rods h, so that during the rotation of the crank-shaft the bellows is vibrated the desired amount and a current of air forced upthrough the ri'lile-screen.

It is necessary that the riftle-box with its screen and suspending parts be given a jigging or vibratory motion for the purpose of disturbing the material and allowing the air-current to carry off the lighter portions. In order to do this, I flexibly mount the framework of the rifile-board upon four fiat metallic springs I, one end of which is secured rigidly to the supporting-framework and the other ends to the framework of the riffle-box. These fiat metallic springs allow the riffle-box to be shaken or jigged in the desired direction and at the same time prevent undue or unnecessary vibration, while providing a sufficient support for the mechanism during the jigging or vibrating. I provide a second crankshaft K, which is mounted in suitable bearings on the supporting-framework and connect its crank portions, by means of connecting-rods 7a, with the brackets 011 the upper portion of the riflic-box, so that the rotation of this shaft will give the necessary vibration to the parts.

To disintegrate or crush the gold-bearing dirt into a uniform condition and feed it into the riffie-box in the desired quantities, I provide two rotating shafts L L, with angular intermeshing beaters Z Z, with their angles set with regard to the rotation so that as the material is struck, disintegrated, and crushed it is fed in the direction of the riftle-boX and into it in the desired quantities. These beaters or disintegrators are surrounded by a suitable casing L to provide a compartment in which the material may be held as it is disintegrated and fed forward.

To actuate the different parts of the machine, I provide a main driving-shaft M and connect its different pulleys, by means of a chain m and belt m and intermediate gears, with the crank-shafts H K and rotating shafts L L, so as to impart motion thereto.

Any desired motive power may be used and connected by suitable mechanism with the main driving=shaft M for the purpose of operating the mechanism.

The principal advantages incident to the use of my improvements'are,

First, that I have provided an organized compact machine in which the material is disintegrated and reduced to a uniform condition and fed into the machine in uniform quantities. This advantage will probably be better appreciated when it is considered that if the material-especially gold-bearing clay is not disintegrated just as it is fed into the riffle-box there will be a tendency to pack or lump and thus interfere with the practical operation of the machine.

Second, the mechanism is very simple and economical in construction, so that the ordinary laborer may operate or repair the same, thus dispensing with the necessity of having skilled and expensive help, which is usually very difficult to obtain where dry placermining is carried on, and, third, the rifiiebars may be readily taken out, thus rendering the obtaining of the concentrates very easy and economical, as well as permitting the obtaining of a larger per cent. of same.

I claim- 1. In dry-ore concentrators, an organized machine in which there are combined an inclined riffle-box having an inclosed rifflechanncl formed of a lower riffie screen with transverse riftle-bars, adjustable side boards, a removable cover and a flap-valve, a bellows secured to the riffle-box directly under the riftle-screen for the purpose of furnishing a current of air to such rifile=screen and separate materials, flat spring mechanism for flexibly supporting the riffle-box and secured parts on the framework and permit longitudinal vibrations, but prevent lateral movement of the rifflerbox, means for actuating the bellows, means, f r imparting a jigging or vibratory motion to the riffie-box, a disintegrating feeding mechanism consisting of at least two rotatable shafts arranged in a horizontal plane and provided with angular beat ers or disintegrators for crushing and feeding the material forward in uniform condition and quantities into the riffie-box, and means for operating the mechanism, substantially as described.

2. In dry-ore concentrators, an organized machine in which there are combined an inclined riffle-box composed of a lower rifflescreen having riffle-bars removably secured thereon, adjustable side boards, a removable cover and automatic flap-valve at the entrance, a bellows secured to the riffle-box beneath the rifl'le-screen to furnish a current of air to the same and separate materials, flat spring mechanism for flexibly supporting the riffle-box and secured parts on the frame and permit longitudinal vibrations, but prevent lateral movement of the rifiie-box, means for Vibrating the bellows, means for imparting a jigging or vibratory motion to the riffle-box, disintegrating feeding mechanism composed of at least two rotatable shafts arranged in a horizontal plane and provided with angular intermcshing heaters for crushing and feeding the material forward into the riffle-box in uniform quantities and condition, and means for imparting motion to the diiferent mechanisms, substantially as described.

, FRANK J WOODS.

Witnesses:-

THOMAS F. SHERIDAN, THOMAS B. MOGREG-OR. 

